To Whom It May Concern - SYOC
by AtlasBreakerr
Summary: Ten trainers with ten separate pasts, living ten separate lives. When fate forces them together as a result of a freak accident, they must band together in order to save themselves and each other from a great evil consuming the known world. It might not be pretty, but it'll sure as hell be an exciting ride. SYOC. Gore, language, and mild sexual themes. Rating may change.


**Chapter One**

Roman Chase knew he was going to have an interesting night the moment he watched a mighty charizard land in the makeshift arena amid thunderous cheers.

Crackling embers spewed from its mouth as it roared— flaunting sharp teeth stained crimson from a lifetime of wins and poor dental hygiene— and pooled around its feet, glowing all shades of orange and blue; like the little stars in the night sky which curtained the two boys and their Pokémon overhead. A full moon hung in the darkness, silently watching, and it shone its light into the dustbowl crater surrounded by fans, seasoned veterans, and gamblers alike. Each one had paid a substantial fee to simply get in— and they were not expecting to leave disappointed. Screams of excitement increased in volume, and some of the younger children joyfully began to stamp their feet. Each foot that made contact with the earth sent dust whirling into the air, and dust devils began to form, dancing through the buzzing crowd.

Roman spit sand from between his teeth as he rolled his shoulders back and stood up tall. He may have not been the most physically imposing trainer around, but _damn _if he couldn't ooze confidence twice that of his peers. His charming smile and quick wit were all he had in this world, and he wielded them like a pair of daggers against anyone who would dare try to stand in his way. Turning away from the furious drake and instead facing the crowd, he removed a shimmering pokéball from his belt and held it up for all to see. While some booed at the sight, cheering far outweighed any disapproval and drowned it out. He chuckled darkly as he brought it close to his chest again. He'd give the all skeptics a show— one they'd never forget.

The trainer on the opposite side of the crater was unfazed by the theatrics, standing as still as a statue, and instead chose to pat the side of his fighter, who now stood readily for its first command, powerful haunches quivering and wings held tightly against its body.

Roman had heard that he was well-experienced; even had a badge from the closest gym to show for his troubles, which was no small feat. Some whispered that he had the potential to one day leave the middle-of-nowhere town they all called home and go on a journey to challenge the champion of Kalos. For the dirt-poor citizens of Denzien who had to travel miles for clean water, the mere _idea_ of ever being able to do such a thing was unfathomable. No trainer had left Denzien in many years, and nobody really dreamed of doing so, either. Most had large families to support, had not a single Pokémon to their name, or were simply unable to due to health reasons.

Perhaps that was why his enemy was already gaining fame among the battling community of their village. Nobody else had a charizard, or anything close. Small ground types or flying types were the usual, with the occasional water type fished from the faraway river. His father had brought the beast from afar on a business trip and gifted it to him, and it had wowed the town from the moment it left its ball. While Roman was unsure of exactly how experienced it was, the mean glare on its face certainly gave him more nerves than he would have liked. And, knowing that its trainer already had quite a few wins under his belt, he was fully prepared to use all of his tricks if it were necessary.

He brushed his fingers against the button in the center of his Pokéball and closed his eyes. He could feel his partner raring to go, energy thrumming through his hand and settling deep in his stomach. Darkness enveloped him, and he took in a deep breath before smiling.

_Let's do this._

"Since I'm such a nice guy, I've decided to warn you beforehand: I don't go easy on rookies. You still have time to back out of this fight if you'd like. Don't worry— at worst, we'll laugh at you!" he said with a flourish as he lightly tossed his Pokéball in the air. His opponent only scoffed.

"Strong words, coming from the kid with a living _candle_ for a fighter. Someone ought to hold you to 'em." Smoke puffed from his charizard's nostrils as he spoke, and the hand which had been laying on its orange flesh slowly moved away. The cheering began to die down, and the crowd dropped to a hush as they waited for the next move to be made.

"Oh, believe me, darling. Many people have tried. But we're still out here on the playing field, no?" Roman's voice was almost a purr as he stepped closer towards his two opponents. It was dead silent now, only the wind echoing across the terrain. An older man perched at the edge of the crater tossed a watch into it, which landed between the two trainers. It ticked as each second passed, counting down. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven.

"We'll see about that," his opponent said lowly while he stepped back. The immense dragon's tail flame burned bright as it tilted its head back and released an earsplitting cry.

Six. Five. Four. Three. Two.

A Pokéball sailed through the air and hit the ground, breaking open in a blinding flash of white light.

_One._

"Litwick, use Flame Burst!"

* * *

**A/N: **Firstly, I'd like to apologize for such a short and rather unexciting beginning to this story. I'm very tired and will probably be posting this at midnight, but I really wanted to get it done before I went to bed. I'll probably come back and tidy it up and add some more to it tomorrow (or sometime close to that). Secondly, I'd like to welcome you all to my first story on this site, and in addition, my first ever SYOC! I'm stoked for the potential that I hope this story will have. Please head to my profile if you'd like more information concerning how to submit your own OC for the chance for them to appear in _To Whom It May Concern_. Follows and comments will always be appreciated! :)


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